McCord Museum appoints Ghislain Picard to board of trustees chair, a historic first

MONTREAL -- In appointing Ghislain Picard to chair of its board of trustees, the McCord Stewart Museum in Montreal has for the first time named an Indigenous person to the position.

The Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL) regional chief will succeed Monique Jerome-Forget, and take up his position June 1.

“I cannot think of a better candidate to take over as Chair of the Board of Trustees as the Museum pursues its decolonization efforts and aims to help strengthen the voices of First Nations communities in both its programming and the institution itself," said Jerome-Forget in a news release. “Now, more than ever, it is essential for social history museums to act collaboratively and build trust-based relationships with all the communities that make up our society, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike."

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Chief Ghislain Picard as Chair of the Museum’s Board of Trustees. As of June, he will succeed Monique Jérôme-Forget, who has been in this role for 11 years. Her involvement will continue as Honorary Chair.
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— Musée McCord Museum (@MuseeMcCord) April 15, 2021

Picard is from the Innu Pessamit community on the North Shore.

In 1992, Picard was elected AFNQL regional chief, and was named a Knight of the National Order of Quebec in 2003 and the Consul General of France named him a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 2005.

In 2017, Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante made him an honorary citizen of the metropolis.